Ma's Place: Leaving tracks on those around us

Mega-zone conferences this week. There are four stakes within the mission boundaries, so the conferences are held by stake. The first on Thursday was in Plainview about 25 miles (1 hour 20 minutes) from my apartment out on Long Island. It was a beautiful day. I wasn’t helping with the lunch so I was able to enjoy the whole conference. The speakers were inspiring and I enjoyed the spirit of the meeting.

Plainview chapel

Friday the conference was in Little Neck, also on the island but only about 10 miles away. It normally would take only about 30 minutes but due to an accident and traffic backing up, it took almost an hour. I did help with the lunch and the clean-up.

Saturday I played catch-up on my work. My apartment needed a good cleaning and I also did a little grocery shopping.

Monday morning early, 10:00, Sisters Anderson and Zambito and I went to Costco. The line outside the door waiting to get in reminded me of waiting in line at the DI to get all of those bargains as soon as the door opened. Then I went to Jamaica to go to lunch with Sisters Fouts and Cate. We ate at a Dominican place. I had black beans and rice, pork ribs, plantains, and yucca. It was a fun afternoon and then back home for FHE.

Sisters Anderson and Zambito

Sister Cate and Me; Sister Fouts; a yummy lunch!

Today, Tuesday, was the third of the zone conferences in Woodside. It was held in my own stake so I was there in 15 minutes. I helped with the lunch, and then sat in on the last part of the conference. It is great working with the other senior couples who come to help.

Elder and Sister Martino, Sister Williams, Sister and Elder Johnson, Sister Zenger

Being with the missionaries in these conferences and other settings gives me so much pleasure. I love to watch them interact with each other. They joke, play around, recite “miracles” that have happened recently in their lives, talk about plans and people they are teaching, etc. They are happy and that makes me happy!

I like to make cookies. I suppose you didn’t know that but now you do. I like to make them but then I have to get them out of the house ASAP because I have little will power and I end up eating them. Luckily for me, the missionaries come to my rescue. I call them my taste testers/quality control gang. I usually get thumbs up. Monday night I got a thumbs down. I really like angel food cake so I thought that cookies made out of angel food cake mix would be tasty. I found a recipe for coconut macaroons using the cake mix. You add cocoa to half of the dough so I figured YUM. Coconut and cocoa - how could you go wrong!! They looked beautiful if I do say so myself, but I have to admit that my test gang was right with the thumbs down stamp of disapproval. Looks can be deceiving. They tasted a lot like baking powder tastes with kind of a tangy/tart flavor. I think I won’t make that recipe again. You never know ‘til you try.

As I was enjoying the flowers of the neighborhood on my walk one day this week, I noticed that a cat had crossed the sidewalk while the cement was wet. (I took a picture but accidentally deleted it, so you’ll have to use your imagination.) I then noticed as I walked along that many people had written their names in the cement. I’m sure they thought that their names would be there forever, after all, cement is hard and indestructible. But in looking around more, the cement was beginning to crack and slough off in many areas. That made me begin to think about how we can leave our tracks or mark on those around us. We can interact with people in such a way that they will forever remember us for the good or positive things we have done for them.

Or on the other hand, will we be remembered for the negative way we’ve acted or the things we’ve said? I thought about that as I walked. What kind of memory will people have of me? Will I be like the names in the cement that is cracking and wasting away taking the names with it, or will I be an influence for good making enduring memories for the people with whom I interact? My goal is to be a good influence in the lives of others. To be an example of a disciple of my Savior. To have love for others as He did. Makes me know that I have to try harder every day to walk in His footsteps.

It’s been a great week. I love my Savior. I love the missionaries. I love the work I am called to do.

I love you my family and friends.